Metal-protected roofing



Aug. 18, 1931. w. M. SHAKESPEARE 1,819,270

METAL PROTECTED ROOFING Filed July 17. 1929 WIZYE 5 ATTORNEY? Patented Aug. 18, 1931 Umrso STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM M. SHAKESPEARE, OF SOUTH ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO ANA- OONDA SALES COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE METAL-PROTECTED noon me Application filed July 17, 1929. Serial No. 378,963.

This invention relates to roof constructions and has to do more particularly with a roof built up of a plurality of layers of relatively inexpensive roofing material, together with a top layer of similar material, but provided with metal covering the normallyv exposed portions thereof, whereby the structure has the durability, resistance to fire, and desirable appearance of an all-metal roof. The metalclad material of which the 'top layer above mentioned is formed and which is used in connection with other roofing products to produce the new roof is also capable of use alone for numerous purposes, such, for example, as

siding and the like. This new roofing product comprises a base in the form of a web of fibrous material and a metal coating aflixed thereto, the metal being of insuflicient thickness to be used alone but sufliciently strong for the purpose for which it is used, inasmuch as it is backed and re-inforced by the-base. This new material includes numerous other features of construction which will be made clear in the more detailed description to follow.

The new roof is made up of the usual foundation structure of roofing boards upon which 'are laid one or more layers of roofing material, such as roll roofing, in the form of asphaltimpregnated felt, the webs of roofingmata 3o rial being laid side by side with substantial overlap. Between the overlapping portions of the webs of each layer and also between ad- 1 jacent layers is placed a suitable waterproof cementing compound, such as hot asphalt.

Over the top of the uppermost of these layers of plain roofing material is placed a layer of metal-clad material, this layer being bound to the underlying layer by the cementing compound in the usual way.

40 The metal-clad material preferably takes the form of a web of asphalted felt with va strip of weather-resistant metal, such as copper, aflixed to one surface thereof and covering substantially one-half the width of the felt along one edge, the metal projecting and fills the space beneath the overhanging edge of the metal, providing a support for this edge and being to a large degree concealed thereby, and at the same time sealing the edge of the felt sheet and making a good joint.

In a roof made in the manner described, the entire exposed surface is covered by metal so that the harmful effect of the rays of the sun on the felt and asphalt is prevented. The metal-clad webs, firmly bound together by cementing material, have the appearance of sheets of metal, the extruded portions of the cementing compound being concealed so. as not to impair t e appearance of the roof.

For a better understanding of the new construction, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 1s a view in perspective of a roll of the new metal-clad roofing product; Fig. 2 is' a sectional view of this product transversely thereof;

Fig. 3 ,is a sectional view illustrating the manner in which two metal-clad webs are laid in overlapping relation;

Fig. a in section, illustrating the formation of the complete structure; and

Fig. 5 is a fra entary view of parts illustrated in Fig. 3 ut on a larger scale.

The new roofing material comprises a web 10 of felt, paper, or similar material commonly used for roofing purposes, impregnated or saturated with a water-proofing compound,

suchas asphalt,-and a band 11 of a weatherresistant metal, such as copper, or the like, applied to one surface thereof. The band, as shown in Fig. 2, has a width approximately 1s a view in perspective and partly one-half-the width of the felt and it is alfixed -to the felt along-one edge thereof with the 'metal projecting slightly beyond the edge of the felt, as illustrated at 12. The metal is very thin and it is affixed to the felt in any convenient manner, preferably by means of asphalt or other similar cementing compound. The felt employed for the purpose is relatively light in weight so that it ,is quite flexible and the metal is sufficiently thin so that its application to the felt does not impair the flexibility thereof to any substantial extent. As a result, the metal-clad material may be formed in webs of substantial length and shipped and handled in the form of rolls.

The new roof comprises the usual roofing boards 13 laid in any suitable or usual manner and on the surface of the boards is placed a layer of roofing material generally designated 14. This material is preferably made up of a plurality of felt webs of substantial weight and thickness. A convenient form of material for the purpose is roll roofing of standard width laid in overlapping stretches lengthwise of the roof, the first stretch 15 being laid with its edge even with the edge of the roofing boards and the next stretch 16 'laid to overlap the stretch 15 for somewhat one-half its width. The extent of the overlap may vary with difierent conditions, but an overlap in excess of 50 per cent. is preferred for the best type of roof since this results in each stretch being overlain by two adjacent stretches and thus provides headlap. The successive lengths of roofing material are laid in place one after another until the entire surface of the roofing boards is covered. The overlapping portions of the adacent webs of roofing are cemented together by hot asphalt or the like, and a layer 17 of the material is applied to the upper surface of the layer 14.

Over the first layer 14.- of overlapping webs may be placed one or more layers 18 laid in a similar manner and over the up ermost of these layers is applied a coating 0 cementing material 19. The number of layers similar to let and 18 that are used will depend on the character of the roof, but ordinarily two or three such layers are satisfactory to' ive the roof a life which may be guarantee for an extended term.

The roof is completed with metal-clad webs such as that illustrated in Fig. 1. These webs are laid side by side in overlapping relation in such manner that each web, such as that designated 20, overlaps that portion of the underlying web 21 which is not protected by metal and also a narrow portion of the metal coating on the web 21. The overlap preferred is illustrated in Fig. 3 where it will be seen that the web over lies that portion 22 of the web 21 which is not protected by metal and also slightly over- 65 laps the metal as illustrated at 23. The

first metal-clad web 24 is laid. in position along the edge of the roof and the unmetallized portion thereof receives a coating of cementing material 25. The next layer 21 is then laid in place and bound to the underlying web by means of the cementing material. When the web 21 is placed-in position and pressed firmlyin place, the cementing material 25 between the webs is likely to be squeezed out to some extent, but this extruded cementing material collects beneath the overhanging pqrtion of the metal band of the web 21, as illustrated at 26 (Fig. 5).

The metal which I prefer to employ for coating the webs takes the form of a band of copper of light weight, the copper having an attractive appearance and being highly resistant to the weather. is approximately 30 wide and the metal band is 15" wide. The metal band is applied along one edge so as to overhang the edge of theweb to a slight extent, as, for example, to A If preferred, the material may readily be made in other dimensions, but the adoption of those mentioned provides a material which is convenient to handle and lay. While the metal employed is very light'and flexible, the metal projects beyond the edge of the web to so slight an extent that when the material is rolled up the projecting portions of the metal in the numerous convolutions is not likely to become flattened against the edge of the web during handling. Even if such -flattening should occur, the utility of the roofing construction is in no way impaired, since the metal, if folded against the edge of the felt, protects that edge against the action of the weather.

Ordinarily in laying the material, each metal-clad web will extend from one end of the roof to the other but where a pair of webs must be joined to complete a stretch, the two webs in the stretch, as, for example, those designated 27, 28, are placed in alignment with one web overlapping the other to a substantial extent, as, for example, 6".

It will be seen that in the new roof a hig degree of protection is afiorded by reason of the number of roofing layers that are employed, and at the same time the entire exposure of the completed roof is covered wholly by metal. Owing to the fact that the metal may be very thin, since itis supported by the felt base, the application of metal to the felt to be used in the upper layer of the roof does not add materially to the cost of the construction. Only a small amount of metal is required for a square of the roof, the metal being much thinner than would be necessary if it were used alone and without the felt to support it. In the new roof, the felt is wholly concealed and therefore no felt is directly exposed to the action of the sun.

Preferably each web It has been ascertained that the actinic rays and cause its eventual deterioration, but in' the present roof the entire exposed surface "of the felt is protected by metal and the web of fibrous material and a coating of weather-resistant metal on one surface only of the web, said coating covering a substantial part of said surface and projecting beyond the edge of the Web along one side thereof.

2. A roofing material which comprises a Web of fibrous material and a coating of weather-resistant metal on one surface only of the web, said coating covering a substantial part of said surface along one edge and leaving a substantial part of said surface exposed, the edge of said coating lying beyond said edge of the web.

' 3; A roofing material which comprises a web of impregnated roofing felt, and a band of weather-resistant metal on one surface only of the felt, the band having a width approximately one-half the width of the web and lying along one edge thereof with one edge of the metal extending beyond said edge of the web a relatively short distance.

4. In a built-up roof, the combination'of one or more layers of roofing material and an upper layer of webs of metal-coated roofingmaterial, each Web carrying a longitudinal band of metal along one edge only of the web, this band being approximately half as wide'as the web and projecting beyond said edge of the web, the webs lying in overlapping relation with their metal bands only exposed, and cementing material between the overlapping portions of said webs and beneath the projecting portion of each band of metal and in contact therewith.

' 5. In a built-up roof, an exposed la er comprising a plurality of webs of roo ng material laid side by side in overlapping relation, each web carrying a longitudinal metal band on one surface thereof and of less width than the web, this band covering the exposed surface of said web and overlapped to a slight degree by the adjacent Web, said band rojecting to a slight distance beyond the e ge of the web on which it is mounted, and cementing material at the end of said 6. In a built-up roof, an exposed layer comprising laterally overlapping webs of roofing material, each web having a longitudinal band of metal along one edge only and covering substantially only the exposed portion of said web, said band projecting a short distance beyond said edge and cementmg material between the overlapping portions of said webs and beneath the projecting portions of said bands to provide a seal at the edges of said webs.

In testimony whereof Iaflix my signature.

WILLIAM M. SHAKESPEARE.

web and filling the s ace beneath the projetting portion of sai band. 

